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ASCEND: The 2019 Winter Playlist

I'm a little late getting this out, and that's because it's been slim pickings out there during these winter doldrums. But I managed to find 30+ tracks to keep you warmed up while you try to hold onto those New Year's resolutions that will mostly likely fall through by MLK weekend. (Or is that just me?)

While Ariana was too late to make it on the previous playlist, Troye Sivan arrives just in time with a new single (and video), and new-to-me artist Roosevelt is wooing me with his neo-disco magic (see track 4). Then there are a few veterans who dominated the charts back in 1999: Backstreet Boys return with a new single, album, and tour while Jennifer Lopez has her Sia-penned anthem, straight from the soundtrack to her latest movie, Second Act. (That Vanessa Hudgens plot twist -- really?)

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Who is The First Echo?

Hiko Mitsuzuka is a self-proclaimed pop culture connoisseur who resides in L.A. and obsesses over pop songs months before everyone else does.
Hiko has worked in TV and commercial production ever since he left his native New York in the early aughts. He has worked at the world-renowned Anonymous Content and freelanced as a treatment writer for award-winning directors, a contributing writer for Instinct, and the Executive Editor of Hotter in Hollywood. Hiko can currently be seen in the roles of Manager of Creative Planning at Stun Creative (PromaxBDA's Agency of the Year, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018), film critic for ScreenPicks, entertainment and travel journalist for Bello Mag, and contributor for The Huffington Post.
His hobbies include quoting sitcom dialogue and stalking people on Instagram. His vices include chocolate chip cookies and movie theater popcorn.
Tweet him @TheFirstEcho.